Laura: WE ALL KNOW THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING.

OUR BEAUTIFUL RIO GRANDE IS AFFECTED, AND SO ARE THE  CREATURES WHO LIVE IN THE RIVER AND THE FOREST  ALONGSIDE IT.

TALKING ABOUT THESE  CHALLENGES, IT IS HARD.

BUT FINDING NEW AND  DIFFERENT WAYS OF COMMUNICATING ABOUT THE  ENVIRONMENT WHILE CELEBRATING IT AND HAVING  FUN, THAT IS RIGHT UP ENDION SCHICHTEL’S ALLEY.

SHE'S THE RINGLEADER OF CONSERVATION CARNIVALE,  WHICH PERFORMS IN THE BOSQUE AND ALSO INCLUDES A VAN  OUTFITTED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

WE JOINED HER AND A FEW OF HER FRIENDS IN THE BOSQUE.

HERE'S THEIR STORY.

[ACCORDION MUSIC]  Endion:   EVER SINCE I WAS A KID, I WAS JUST ALWAYS  FASCINATED WITH CARNIVAL, TRAVELING CIRCUS, SIDE SHOW,  FREAK SHOW, FOLKLORE, AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY.

DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY PEOPLE,  A LOT OF PEOPLE, COULD MAKE MONEY AND BE IN SHOWTIME,  UNLESS YOU WERE WEALTHY ON THE RADIO OR SOMETHING LIKE  THAT.

AND IT GAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE  A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY JUST TO BE FED AND EMPLOYED, AND  PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE OUTCASTED A CHANCE TO SHINE.

AND JUST THE WHOLE ESTHETIC OF IT I JUST THOUGHT WAS SO  COOL, AND I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT.

AND EVEN THROUGH GETTING MY BIOLOGY DEGREE   AND TRAVELING AND TRYING TO DO  ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM, I ALWAYS JUST GRAVITATED  TOWARDS IT.

[GURGLING NOISE]  Frank: I'M FRANK THE FISH!

I'M FRANK THE FISH, AND I'M A RIO GRANDE SILVERY MINNOW.

I'M STRANDED ON THE BANK OF THE RIO BECAUSE YOU HUMANS  ARE JUST USING TOO MUCH WATER!

US RIO GRANDE SILVERY MINNOWS ARE AN ENDANGERED  SPECIES.

WE NEED SLOW MOVING BACK  CHANNELS IN THE FOREST TO MAKE OUR BABIES, AND THAT  DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE BECAUSE THE RIVER ISN'T  FLOODING THE FOREST, BECAUSE YOU HUMANS ARE USING TOO  WATER.

[GURGLING NOISE]  Frank: HELP FRANK THE FISH, USE LESS WATER!

[GURGLING NOISE] Endion:   THE CONSERVATION CARNIVALE IS A   SCIENCE CIRCUS.

WE BRING THE BOSQUE TO THE PUBLIC TO TEACH ABOUT  ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

WE CELEBRATE THE BOSQUE  ECOSYSTEM AND WE TEACH WATER CONSERVATION, AS WELL,  THROUGH CIRCUS ARTS AND PERFORMING ARTS.

WE'VE BEEN TAKING PEOPLE OUT INTO THE WOODS AND HAVING  THEM INTERACT WITH CHARACTERS FROM THE  ECOSYSTEM.

SO WE HAVE ABUELA COTTONWOOD  TREE, PORCUPINE, AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY ALL THE NAMES,  BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE WHEN YOU'RE OUT  THERE.

Abuela: OH, HORSETAIL  GRASS, YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DINOSAURS, MY  FRIENDS.

YOU'RE ALMOST   AS OLD AS ABUELA HERE.

OH, GOOD, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE BOSQUE.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE BOSQUE.

AND ACTUALLY, I HAVE A FRIEND HERE.

WAKE UP, PRUDENCE!

PRUDENCE!

Prudence: OH, DEAR.

OH, DEAR.

HELLO, ABUELITA.

Abuela: HELLO!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE?

Prudence: I WAS  SLEEPING, YOU KNOW.

I PREFER TO NAP DURING MOST  OF THE DAY.

Abuela: YES.

YOU SEE, PRUDENCE HERE IS A PORCUPINE, MY FRIENDS.

SHE IS A CREPUSCULAR BEING.

SHE SLEEPS A LOT DURING THE  DAY.

SHE DOES, AND SHE LIVES ON  US COTTONWOOD TREES.

AND YOU EAT US, TOO, DON'T  YOU, PRUDENCE.

BAD PRUDENCE!

Prudence: IT'S TRUE.

IT'S TRUE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED IT, BUT THIS IS  DELICIOUS.

THIS IS CALLED CAMBIUM, AND  IT GROWS RIGHT UNDER THE BARK OF THE TREE, AND WE  PORCUPINES JUST CHEW AND CHEW ON THE CAMBIUM.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

WE HAVE VERY SHARP TEETH,  YOU SEE.

THIS IS MY UNCLE PETER, AND  HE'S NO LONGER WITH US.

Abuela: MAY YOU REST IN  PEACE, PETER.

Prudence: BUT YOU CAN  SEE HIS LONG TEETH WERE CUTTING THROUGH THAT BARK  AND GETTING TO THE CAMBIUM.

THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR NUTRIENTS, YOU SEE.

AND, YES, WE ALSO FEEL VERY SAFE UP IN THE COTTONWOOD  TREES.

Abuela: YES, LET'S TALK  ABOUT THAT INSTEAD OF THE EATING US PART.

WE KEEP YOU SAFE, DON'T WE?

Prudence: YES.

WE ARE VERY GOOD CLIMBERS, YOU KNOW.

WE LIKE TO CLIMB HIGH UP IN THE TRIES SO WE ARE SAFE  FROM THE PREDATORS.

Endion:   WHEN WE HAVE ABUELA COTTONWOOD TREE OUT,  KIDS WILL ASK, DOES IT HURT WHEN A WOODPECKER PECKS YOU?

SO THEY ACTUALLY LIKE REALLY DIVE INTO THAT SHE IS A  CREATURE HERE.

THAT'S ALWAYS REALLY COOL,  BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT QUESTIONING THAT SOMEONE IS  IN COSTUME OR ANYTHING, THEY'RE ACTUALLY INTERACTING  AND LOOKING AT TREES DIFFERENTLY AGAIN, AND  REALIZING THEY'RE A PART OF THE SYSTEM, RIGHT.

[GUITAR MUSIC] Endion:   AND BUILDING OUT THIS VAN HAS BEEN A CURE IN  A LOT OF WAYS FOR MY CLIMATE ANXIETY AND MY DEPRESSION  ABOUT IT.

AND CREATING AND FINDING A  COMMUNITY THAT REACTS AND WANTS TO BE A PART OF IT AND  PERFORM, OR JUST COME, HAS BEEN REALLY SOOTHING  BECAUSE, YEAH, IT IS DAUNTING, IT IS HEAVY.

SO IF YOU CAN BE SILLY WITH IT IN ANY SORT OF WAY, WHY  NOT BE HEALING IN ANY SORT OF WAY.

IF WE CAN SPEND SOME TIME AT EVENTS, OR JUST GETTING  TOGETHER FOR THESE BOSQUE THEATERS AND CELIBATE WHAT  WE HAVE, INSTEAD OF KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW IT WAS AND  HOW WE NEED TO CHANGE IT, AND JUST SAY, LIKE, HEY, I  LIKE THAT TREE, YOU KNOW, OR LIKE, WOW, I LOVE DRINKING  WATER, IT HELPS.

IT REALLY DOES.

AND I SPEAK FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT,  BECAUSE I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CLIMATE ANXIETY PRETTY  HEAVILY, AND THIS WAS MY THERAPY FOR IT.

SO I'M INVITING ANYONE TO COME BE GOOFY AND BE A  CARNIE, TO COME BRING SOME LEVITY, YEAH.